1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to systems and methods for supporting all or a portion of the human body and, more particularly, to an inflatable support that is dynamically adjustable in accordance with the therapeutic requirements of a user.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Applying the latest in “state of the art” technical standards, there is an enormous variety of pillows on the market which provide ergonomic adjustment of a pillow to conform to a sleeper's head. The pillow's composition, or its shape and size, are advertised by each brand as determining qualities for its ergonomic function. It is a fact, however, that the prerequisite for a deep, restful sleep is the correct anatomical support of the head and neck. Thus, true ergonomic support cannot be achieved unless the shape and size of a pillow are adjustable to the particular requirements of its user. Pillows of the above-described type are not truly adjustable despite the limited flexibility that is afforded by the soft materials used in their construction. A user can not verify whether his or her pillow is acceptable until after several days of actual, real-world use. Buying and trying many pillows in pursuit of such a strategy can quickly become a costly procedure, and there is no guarantee that an acceptable one will even be found. In recognition of this deficiency, a variety of so-called adjustable pillow systems have been proposed.
Published patent application US 2004/0006822 A1, for example, describes an adjustable pillow for therapeutic purpose, featuring a number of chambers, a number of elements of support, and a basic sheath which in turn is attached onto a top sheath in order to yield the supporting elements of the top chamber. The supporting elements are designed to be positioned within one of the chambers. The height of each chamber is adjustable by varying the number of supporting elements positioned in each chamber. In addition, the chambers can include a chamber for supporting the neck, one for supporting the head and a pair of lateral supporting chambers.
JP 02264612 A describes a pillow which is aimed at preventing snoring by positioning the user's back and head such that the vertebrae of the neck and thorax are aligned in a natural s-curve and the face angle is kept at about 5 degrees. This is obtained by employing a nuclear corpus at the top as well as a smaller nuclear corpus providing support for the rear part of the head and maintaining the face angle at about 5 degrees and also an inferior nuclear corpus for support of the necks vertebrae.
GB 2 383 947 A describes a medical device providing either neck-or back pain relief and featuring an inflatable supporting cushion and an inflating device connected to it. This device is to be positioned between the patient's head and a headrest, and it supports the neck as well as the side of the head. The inflating device includes a pump and a pilot device, e.g. a timing clock, allowing the inflation and deflation of the cushion to be obtained by a repeating cycle via a two-way inflation and deflation gate to the cushions chamber. As a result the movements of the patients back head will move his neck relieving from pain or preventing it.
EP 1 369 065 A1 describes an inflatable headrest, featuring a pair of distant aircushions connected by a joining element between them. Each cushion is shaped by one cushion at least which is rolled upon itself or folded and fixed in its position.
DE 199 30 818 C1 is a device for preventing snoring effectively by a governed shifting of the sleepers head position on the pillow. The pillow consists of an air cushion subdivided into a number of chambers. Air pressure is governed via a controlling unit in connection with a source for air pressure increase and the source for air pressure decrease.
The disadvantage of this device lies in that, in spite of changing the sleepers head position by shifting the inclination of the cushions resting surface in order to prevent snoring, there is no ergonomic adjustment of the pillow to the sleepers head. This may lead to a poor sleeping position, resulting in strain of the subjects neck muscles and causing head-or neck ache over the long run.
A continuing need therefore exists for a support system that can be adjusted in accordance with the individual preferences of a user in order, for example, to accommodate the particular size and the shape of that user's head and to thereby provide a more stable and comfortable support thereof.
A need also exists for a support system that can be adjusted in a manner that provides a therapeutic benefit such, for example, as relief from a sleep disorder (e.g., chronic snoring, sleep apnea, and the like).